


Eavesdropper

by astrangerenters



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Eavesdropping, F/M, One-Sided Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-18
Updated: 2007-07-18
Packaged: 2017-10-28 03:49:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrangerenters/pseuds/astrangerenters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Penelo hated to eavesdrop, but it was for the good of the group, wasn't it? If Ashe and Balthier were going to fight all the way to Archades, it wasn't going to help their cause.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eavesdropper

"For the last time, we need a rest!"

"You said it was only over that ridge!"

"Yes, yes, Princess. But that ridge is still a long way off, and if you haven't noticed, we are all quite exhausted," Balthier remarked icily, adjusting his cuffs. The Princess was not relenting, and Penelo was growing more and more uncomfortable as the minutes passed. The argument had started after a vile snake attack a few hours earlier as they traversed the Tchita Uplands. Vaan and Basch had both been poisoned and were still in varying states of recovery. But Ashe had pressed them all forward, determined to reach the Sochen Cave Palace that day come hell or high water.

For her part, Penelo could barely feel her arms. An entire morning and afternoon spent slashing her dagger at various nasty beasts in the grassy uplands was exhausting. She was just about ready to voice her agreement with Balthier when the Princess whirled around to shoot the sky pirate a glare harsh enough to petrify a bird in flight. She and Balthier had been engaged in their petty bickering for ages, and nobody else was gathering enough courage (or breath) to get the two to stop. Morale was wavering, Balthier could see it as clearly as Penelo did, but the Princess was the sort to be right when she was right and definitely right when she was wrong. Penelo liked Ashe just fine, but her stubborn streak would get them killed on the battlefield if she wasn't more mindful of their current condition.

"We keep to this path, Balthier. We make camp at the cave entrance," the Princess spat back at him and turned back around to lead the group through the grasses. Penelo heard a defeated sigh emerge from Vaan behind her, but Fran and Basch soldiered on, although she could tell that they wished to stop as well. Fran was not one to complain, and Penelo figured that Basch would jump off the nearest cliff were Her Majesty to order him to do so. So all her hopes now rested with the sky pirate.

In his greatest act of defiance to date, Balthier dropped his gun in the dirt and sat down, leaning his back against a large rock. "You do what you want, Princess. But I am stopping here for the night. I shan't move another step." The rest of the group stopped walking, each unconsciously standing a few paces away from the pirate and the Princess. Penelo could slice the tension with her dagger, and she almost winced at the expression that now crossed Ashe's face at Balthier's behavior. Was Fran going to diffuse this situation? Would Basch?

But Ashe said nothing, her eyes fixated on the sky pirate sitting on the ground in protest, and Penelo felt like she and the other three were invisible to the two of them. She looked to Basch then, and he nodded and began setting down their supplies. Fran joined him, neither of them making so much as a sound. Ashe continued to stare at Balthier, and Penelo noticed the slightest upward quirk to the sky pirate's lips although he was not looking back at the Princess.

Penelo felt like she was intruding, and she moved to assist Fran with setting up their tents. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Balthier finally turned to meet Ashe's eyes. Penelo was now far enough away to not hear their conversation, but she could tell that Balthier was still trying to goad the young woman, and she wished that he would just stop already. He had won, hadn't he? The Princess tossed her sword to the ground angrily then at some most likely cheeky remark he made. Penelo looked away in embarrassment as the others continued to set up the tents. Fran was clearly hearing the conversation, and her ears seemed to twitch with the harsh exchange going on behind her. Basch was hammering tent pegs into the dirt, making as much noise as he could to drown out the angry scene behind them.

Vaan looked up from where he was building a small campfire. He looked grateful to be off of the battlefield, and he had already deposited a small bundle of twigs on the ground. Her friend met her eyes, and he gestured with his head in the direction of their unofficial leaders. She shrugged in return as Ashe made what appeared to be some demand. Whatever she had said, Balthier rose finally from the ground and followed the Princess around a bend in the direction of one of the ruined buildings that dotted the Uplands. Ashe probably wanted to continue their ridiculous argument away from the rest.

"We will need some more wood for the fire throughout the night," Fran remarked calmly, her deep ruby eyes wandering in her direction. It was a silent request to follow her partner and make sure he and Ashe didn't kill each other. She stood up and brushed off her clothes and gave Fran a nod in acknowledgment. Penelo hated to eavesdrop, but it was for the good of the group, wasn't it? If Ashe and Balthier were going to fight all the way to Archades, it wasn't going to help their cause. They would get sloppy in battle, and someone would definitely get hurt.

She followed the dirt trail up the small hill and saw a flash of Balthier's jewelry in the sun as he followed Ashe into the stone ruins. A memory struck her then, several years earlier. Watching her older brother sneak about the house with that girl from the weapons shop. She remembered the excitement, her heart beating in her chest as she peeped through the banister of the staircase. She hadn't been caught, and she'd seen more than she should have. It felt the same way this time as she crept up the path, bending down every few moments to pick up some sticks to serve as an alibi if she was discovered.

Their voices reached her ears when she was a few paces away, the anger in both their words resonating off of the old stone. She approached the building quietly and crouched down on the farthest side from the entrance in case Balthier or Ashe came out suddenly.

"I cannot have you questioning my every move!"

"Why not? If you make a stupid decision out there, Princess, then I am going to call you on it. You endanger us all if you force us to fight!" Penelo had never heard Balthier raise his voice in such a manner, and especially in the direction of the Princess. But the sky pirate didn't seem too preoccupied with Ashe's social status, and Penelo had to admit that he was the most practical of them all. Ashe needed to be taken down a peg once in a while, and he was remarkably skilled at doing so.

There was silence for a moment then, and Penelo imagined that Ashe was trying to find some way to snap back at Balthier's remarks. She leaned against the cold stone of the building and waited, the sticks in her arms clutched against her chest as she listened in. "Are you deliberately slowing our pace because of your father?" the Princess asked, her voice quieter and less forceful. What in Ivalice did she mean? Balthier's father? He lived in Archades?

"That is not at all what this is about. And I'll thank you not to turn our conversation from the Hunter's Camp back in my face, Princess." So they were speaking about Balthier's father that day at the Phon Coast? Why was this such an issue?

"I am not trying to insult you. I am trying to understand you. You said you would lead me to Archades, but you have done nothing but distract me with your childish prattle all day. You are behaving petulantly, and I will not stand for it any longer." Penelo winced. Even when Ashe was trying for what she probably thought was empathy it ended up being cloaked in insults.

Balthier's laughter echoed off the walls, a musical sound that filled her ears and made her stomach do small flips. "I am behaving petulantly? Vaan and Basch were poisoned not two hours ago. They need to rest. I need rest. Frankly, Ashe, you need rest. You look exhausted."

"I'm not…"

"You are." Penelo heard the sky pirate's footsteps on the stone, but she couldn't tell which way he was walking. Towards Ashe or away from her? She had her answer sooner than she thought, although it was far from what she had expected. Balthier's voice was almost tender then, a sound that Penelo had never before heard from him. It made her hands clench around the sticks, and for some reason, she wished that the velvety tones were directed at her. "Come here, would you?"

"What are you doing?" Ashe responded, an uncertainty in her voice that broke Penelo from her little sky pirate daydream. What was he doing? She dared to peek around to stare through a crack in the stone wall, and she saw two dimly outlined profiles. The taller shape, Balthier obviously, had put his hands on the Princess' shoulders, and she was staring up at him in surprise. She felt her breathing increase as Balthier's strong hands slid up and down Ashe's upper arms in a comforting gesture.

Although she was mostly in shadow, Penelo saw a look of utter confusion cross the Princess' pretty features. "You need to relax, Ashe." Again, his voice was as soft and smooth as a cat's purr, and Penelo could not really understand the feelings that were bubbling within her. This was a very private moment, and she shouldn't be there. But she could not bring herself to look away.

Ashe bowed her head, whether in embarrassment or enjoyment, Penelo couldn't tell. Balthier continued to stroke her skin with his fingers, and Penelo watched several strands of Ashe's hair fall to cover her face. "You can't…we can't…" the Princess mumbled, her shoulders seeming to tense at the contact, and Penelo felt herself nearly gasp as Balthier's hand moved to grip the young woman's chin. Ashe was forced to meet the sky pirate's face. "I'll not play this game, Balthier," the Princess responded as forcefully as she could.

Penelo thought her eyes would pop out of her skull. Was Balthier going to kiss her? Was Ashe going to let him? She watched the stalemate then, the Princess fixing him with a look Penelo could not identify. Balthier's face was mostly concealed, but she did not expect the sigh that emerged from him then. He dropped his hands from her face and arm and stepped back. "Not everything about me is a front, Princess."

Penelo looked away then as she heard Balthier's footsteps echo on the stone once more as he retreated. She felt her breathing quicken at the scene she had just witnessed. What was going on between the two of them? She thought she'd be a third party to a silly argument, and now she had overheard something far more interesting. It was increasingly clear to her now that Balthier seemed to feel a bit more for Ashe than he let on around the others. But what did the Princess think?

By the time Penelo turned back to check on Ashe, the young royal had already departed. She sighed, not knowing what to think. She clutched the sticks to herself and stood up, trudging quietly back down to the camp. The low sound of Balthier's voice continued to echo in her ears, the soft, deep tones making the hairs stand up on her skin at the memory.

\--

For as depressing as Lowtown was in Rabanastre, it was now home. And Lowtown on its very worst days was not as sad as Old Archades. The stench of rubbish and decay filled Penelo's nostrils as they waited patiently. Vaan volunteered to run an errand in exchange for Jules the streetear's assistance. It appeared that Balthier and Jules had some sort of history, and as far as she could tell, it was not a particularly pleasant one.

The sky pirate tapped his foot in irritation as he waited for Vaan's return while Fran and Ashe spoke and Basch stayed out of the way to avoid being noticed. Jules kept trying to speak with her, but there was something about him she didn't trust. It wouldn't do to give the man any information that he could eventually turn against her. The way he looked at her…and the way he kept sneaking a glance at Ashe was worrisome. She had to get away from this man.

She walked up to Balthier and gave his sleeve a tug. "Is it alright if I go see how Vaan is doing?" she asked quietly. He turned to her, an intense look in his eyes that both scared and excited her. She decided to hold his sleeve a few seconds longer than she had to, the material soft beneath her fingertips. Maybe he would just assume she was nervous about Jules.

He snorted in annoyance, not seeming to notice her fingers on his shirt. "Be my guest. Anything to get out of here faster." She nodded and turned away from the group and from Jules' lecherous eyes. If Balthier was so ready to leave, why didn't he try and find the man Jules was looking for? Perhaps he was jealous of the attention the streetear was paying to the Princess? She wandered the winding alleys of the slum, doing her best to avoid the cries for help she heard from various people laying in the streets. It broke her heart especially to see children sitting alone and crying. At least in Lowtown they all banded together. Such was not the case in Archades, it seemed.

She made her way to the bridge and was disappointed. Where had Vaan gone? Penelo decided against heading back in the direction of the sunken palace and turned to head back to the group. Maybe Vaan had already returned and now they were all waiting for her? The old cobblestones were rough and uneven under her feet, and she hoped that the city would have far more forgiving streets.

What would Archades be like? What would the Draklor Laboratory be like? There was nothing really like that in Rabanastre. She found her thoughts wandering to all sorts of fanciful ideas about experiments and jars of strange liquids and hoped that the time they would spend there would be short.

She barely noticed Balthier and Ashe chatting in the small alcove she had just passed. It was a good hiding spot. She could not help herself, but she had to listen again. Anything to avoid going back to see that awful streetear. Maybe Balthier would speak in that low way to Ashe that he had last time? Penelo remembered how their last conversation had ended, and she could already feel her heart beating just a bit faster at the memory. She remembered the way he had let his hands drift across the Princess' arms and shoulders, and she let her own fingers drift over the skin of her arms as she watched them.

She pressed her back against the wall to hide in the shadows, the Princess and the sky pirate just paces away, tucked into a small space just opposite her. They were standing close together and speaking fairly quietly. Where last time they had been fighting, they seemed to be chatting more casually this time. But why were they apart from the others?

"…secure our means of entry to Draklor," she heard Balthier finish, his voice low but not sensual this time.

Ashe frowned and looked up into his face. "Why alone? What are we to do while you are gone?"

Balthier was going off on his own? Why hadn't he told the others yet?

The sky pirate looked down to his feet. "Just stock up, rest up, that sort of thing. I have some old contacts here that should be able to get us in. I will make all the necessary arrangements while you all lay low. You don't need to be associated with that lot, Princess."

Ashe actually smiled, and Penelo had to admit that she looked much better when she did so. "With that lot? Do you forget that I already maintain the company of orphans, pirates and a traitor?"

He raised his head, but his expression was far more serious. It was as if their usual demeanors had swapped places. "You don't need to be caught wandering around here. Your identity or the Captain's, if revealed, would earn someone a free ride up to Tsenoble. Fran knows where to stay, just follow her lead…don't make that face."

Ashe had crossed her arms and scowled, and Balthier sighed. Penelo had to suppress a chuckle at how quickly they were able to disagree with one another. "Very well. But can you at least tell us where you are going? I don't like not knowing where you are…"

The sky pirate raised a cocky eyebrow, and Ashe sighed. "You know what I mean, Balthier. I'd prefer if we all stayed together."

He moved closer to her, and Penelo felt that same awkward feeling rising up in her belly. He'd managed to corner the Princess against the wall, leaning his arm just over her head. She could see Ashe's face redden at the closeness, and she felt her own hands growing clammy.

"It won't take more than a day. Trust me," he replied quietly, and she could not hear what Ashe said in response. It felt like minutes were passing in Penelo's mind as the two of them stared at each other, but it probably wasn't that long. She couldn't see the Princess as well, but the sky pirate tilted his head slightly, his earrings jangling softly. A gentle breeze floated through the alley, ruffling Balthier's sleeves. Her eyes were drawn to his hand where it rested above Ashe's head, his palm pressed flat against the wall, his rings bright against the dull grayed stone. If he ever looked at her like that, she would never be able to hold out as long as Ashe was.

Vaan's voice rang out, breaking the silence in the alley. "Hey Balthier! Are you guys out here?" Penelo nearly jumped at the sound of her friend, but the sky pirate took advantage of the distraction. She watched as he closed the distance between himself and the Princess, his hand moving from the wall to cup Ashe's cheek as he brought his lips to hers. Almost unconsciously, Penelo raised her own hand to her face, imagining that he was doing the same to her. She closed her eyes, imagining him touching her cheek with his fingers. She could almost feel the cool metal of his rings against her skin.

"Balthier!" Vaan called again, breaking her from her thoughts. But the two of them did not seem to care, and Penelo knew they would be discovered if they didn't stop. She was surprised to see Ashe responding pretty eagerly, her hands clutching at the top of his shirt where it met his vest. The kissing grew heated rather quickly, in Penelo's opinion. He'd tangled his fingers in her hair, and she watched Ashe dig her fingers into the small triangular openings in Balthier's shirt, desperately seeking to touch his skin. The Princess let out a quiet whimper as the sky pirate let his other hand drift to rest on her hip.

Penelo clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking as she heard Vaan's boisterous footsteps begin to echo in the alleyway. It was growing increasingly difficult for her not to do something to warn her friends, but then she would be discovered at the same time. And it didn't help that what she was watching was very interesting.

"Come on, Fran said you went this way!"

Balthier broke away first and strode out into the alleyway, and Penelo let out a breath. "Have you done your little errand?" the sky pirate inquired, frustration dripping from every word. Vaan and Balthier began talking, and her friend did not see Ashe slip away from the alcove quickly, her face heated but with a satisfaction that Penelo had not seen from her before. She watched the Princess run her fingers through her hair quickly to fix it as she hurried away. Eventually Vaan and Balthier headed out of the alley too, and she finally emerged from her hiding spot.

She could still feel her hands shaking, and she crossed her arms over her stomach to conceal them. Her skin felt sweaty despite how much cooler it was here than in the Uplands or the sunken palace. Ashe greeted her first as she returned, and Penelo hoped that she wouldn't give herself away. For her part, the Princess looked remarkably composed, even distant. She did not give the sky pirate so much as a glance as a distracting fight allowed the group to head up to the capital. But Penelo decided to keep an eye on them as Balthier announced casually that he would be parting ways with the group for the time being. Vaan expressed disbelief, and Penelo noticed that Ashe's eyes did not leave Balthier's back as he turned and walked away into the crowded metropolis.

 _"…a bit young for a leading lady, aren't you?" he muttered, his fingers flicking the ribbons in her hair. She shoved his hand away and grinned at him._

 _"I'm not so young," she replied and began to untie the ribbon from the left plait as he placed small kisses on her shoulder, then on her neck. It felt so wonderful. He knew all the right places to kiss, so different from the boys in Rabanastre. He wasn't a boy…he was a man…_

She shivered, and he faded away. Opening her eyes, he was gone, and she was alone in the tent she shared with the Princess. Her fingers drifted to her hair absentmindedly, the ribbons still firmly tied. Just another dream, one of several she'd been having lately. She wondered if she was really even that attracted to Balthier or just jealous of what he shared with Ashe. She wanted something like that for herself…something that was illicit and forbidden. Some part of her felt like she was keeping their secret, protecting them from being discovered.

They were on their long way back from Giruvegan, camping for the night in the Feywood. The air was chillier than it had been when she had fallen asleep, and it was probably responsible for waking her from her silly dream about Balthier. She rolled on her side and frowned at the lack of Princess on the ground beside her. Where was she at this hour? Was she with Balthier? Of course she was. But what if someone else woke up and found them? She had to make sure nobody caught them.

Kicking off her blanket, she peeked out at their camp. She only saw the other tents and the remnants of their campfire. She set out in search of her friends, regretting almost immediately her decision to head out without her shoes. The ground was squishy and damp, and her feet squelched noisily. How did Balthier and Ashe manage to sneak about without making any sound? Perhaps they were getting better at hiding?

Since the encounter she'd witnessed in Archades, she'd listened in to a flirty conversation in Balfonheim, a stolen kiss in the Mosphoran Highwaste, and then there was Jahara. Before they'd come to Giruvegan, they'd spent the night with the Garif. Penelo had heard what could only have been clothes ripping that night. She'd hurried off at the sound. How many other times had the sky pirate and the princess snuck off? How much did they dare do together? Penelo wondered how much of it was what she witnessed…and how much of it was what she imagined to be happening?

If she walked any further, she would probably encounter a fiend or two. They surely wouldn't be foolish enough to leave the safety of the camp. Balthier seemed the adventurous type, but if she knew Ashe by now, the Princess would never put herself in danger for a foolish after hours kiss with a sky pirate. And she was correct. The sound of very quiet laughter met her ears, and it seemed to be coming from just around a grouping of ancient trees. They must be on the other side, she reasoned. She leaned against the bark, the ground beneath her grassier and less likely to indicate her presence.

"…what makes you think I'd be so eager to visit Rozarria?" Ashe, and in a fairly good mood if Penelo's hearing was accurate. She smiled at the thought of the flirtatious Al-Cid Margrace. That was a pretty darned good reason to visit the empire to the west!

Then Balthier's voice, but in imitation of the Rozarrian prince himself. Penelo had to struggle not to laugh. "Ah, but Princess, my kingdom…it is a beautiful place. The most beautiful place being my bedchamber…"

A downright giddy laugh in reply from the Princess. "Balthier!"

The impersonation continued, to Penelo's delight. "What? There is something wrong with my bedchamber, my lady? Or is it…someone else? Another man has stolen you from my romantic clutches?"

Ashe seemed to play along, and she wished that the Princess would show this livelier side more often. "Do you question my chastity, Lord Margrace?" There was a long pause after Ashe's response, followed by what was unmistakably the sound of lips meeting.

"Yes, my lady. I can still taste another man here!" Penelo was nearly rolling on the ground at the playful interchange taking place through the trees behind her. There was another rather quiet moment, and then she heard a muffled moan. "Ah, so this mysterious man has also been here!" Penelo's eyes widened. Now she had heard far too much!

"Balthier, we have to get back. We have been gone far too long…"

He returned to his usual voice. "I suppose an impersonation of that fop would turn any maiden away," he replied jokingly, and Penelo distinctly heard the rustling of clothing being adjusted.

They would be leaving…and soon. How could she get back to the tent without them hearing her? "Come here, you've missed one of the clasps," Ashe muttered.

"That is entirely your fault…you just couldn't wait…" She squeezed her eyes shut. She had to get out of there! "It would be so much easier if we shared a tent!" Penelo spied a decent sized hollowed out part of a tree nearby. It was her best bet, and she had grass to flee across the whole way. She scampered off as quickly as she could and slid inside, but she did not entirely fit. She prayed that they would just leave.

The pair emerged from around the bend then, still rather disheveled. Balthier's shirt was untucked haphazardly, and the Princess was carrying the decorative collar she usually wore. They both looked rather happy, and Penelo was unbelievably grateful that she had not arrived any earlier.

"Damn! My belt!" Balthier announced suddenly, and Penelo felt her stomach drop. "You go on ahead, it'll help keep up appearances anyhow."

Ashe continued walking back without turning, but Balthier whirled around to head around the trees once more. And he spotted her immediately.

She felt her hands begin to tremble and her mouth went dry. He stared at her for several moments, his expression entirely unreadable. Was he amused? Furious? She could not tell, and if she said anything, Ashe would turn around. Instead, he broke eye contact first and headed to retrieve his belt. He didn't even glance in her direction as he headed back to the camp.

A million thoughts ran through her mind then. What would they do? Surely he would tell Ashe about her snooping? But then couldn't she tell Basch what they were doing? That would be cruel. And more important right then…she had to beat Ashe back to their tent! She pulled herself back from the tree, wincing at the dirt that now coated her arms. She stayed as close behind the two as she could.

They were almost back. Ashe would know! Suddenly, Balthier pulled the Princess aside and behind a tree. "Balthier! Someone will see!" Ashe complained, but not without a small laugh.

He was giving her a chance! She hurried back to the tent and wiped her feet as quickly as she could on the ground, the mud nearly caking her skin up to her ankles. She dove under her blanket, her breathing heavy and her heart racing. Why had Balthier let her get away with it? From then on, she could not…she would not watch them any longer.

Their voices reached the tent a few moments later. "Stop…stop, Penelo will hear us…" Ashe whispered, and she felt like the worst person in the world. She had interrupted so many private moments between them now. Balthier would hate her…

"Oh, I'm sure she sleeps like the dead," the sky pirate replied, an edge to his voice that could only have been meant for her. She could feel her eyes growing itchy as she heard them kiss each other good night.

The Princess entered the tent then, and Penelo could tell she was trying to be as quiet as possible. It only made her eyes water all the more. They would never trust her again. She let the tears run down her face silently as Ashe sighed happily just behind her.

\--

She would be happy to never climb stairs again. The Pharos was far worse than she had imagined. The creatures lurking around were more difficult to defeat, and there was a heavy foreboding air about the whole place that seemed to seep into her skin and make her shiver. There was a history to this ancient place that she simply could not grasp. She had felt the same in Raithwall's Tomb, in the Stilshrine, at Giruvegan. But here…they were literally at the end of the world. Would they all get out of this horrible place unscathed?

But despite the constant dangers with every floor they climbed, Penelo could not ignore the feelings that had been with her since Balthier had caught her in the Feywood. He had not yet said anything and that made her feel far worse. He seemed to speak with her as if nothing had happened, but every so often, she had caught him glancing at her coldly out of the corner of his eyes, and she looked away in embarrassment. She knew she had to apologize to him, and Ashe too, but the thought of doing so ate away at her. Maybe she could endure the rest of their journey without talking to him. He was a sky pirate…he'd probably go seeking a new treasure sooner or later, wouldn't he?

"Let us try to reach that platform there. Then we will rest for a few hours," Ashe said gently, a far cry from the day in the Uplands that Penelo recalled so readily. The others mumbled words of assent. A flying wyrm creature attacked them soon after, and she was grateful that she had her bow.

She reached back quickly for an arrow, but in her haste, she knocked the quiver off of her shoulders. The arrows tumbled out and clattered down the stairs behind her. She groaned inwardly, firing the ones remaining at the fiend. The wyrm was dispatched, and the others continued on their way. She did not want to be defenseless for the remainder of their sojourn in the Pharos. "I'll catch up! I need to get my arrows!" she called.

Vaan turned around and bounded down the stairs. "I'll help ya," he offered, but Balthier waved him off.

"I think it's my turn to play the gentleman, Vaan. You go on ahead," he told her friend casually. Vaan went back after the others, and she felt a blush rise in her cheeks. She tried to busy herself with her arrows. Several had tumbled a few flights down, and the more distance she could place between herself and the sky pirate, the better. But she knew immediately that he was using chivalry as an excuse.

She hurried down the stairs, but she could hear Balthier behind her, his footsteps even. Her face felt hot, and the same sickening feeling she'd had when he'd caught her before resurfaced. She took her quiver and started putting some arrows into it, her hands shaking. When there were no more arrows on the ground in front of her, she took a deep breath and stood.

He was right behind her, but she could not turn. She could not face him. "Thanks, but I can get the arrows myself. I will be there in a minute…" The sky pirate said nothing, and all she could hear was her own breathing and the quieter sound of his behind her. She felt her eyes well up, and she brushed the tears away angrily. "You don't have to help me."

She moved to head down another flight of stairs, but his hand grasped her shoulder firmly, holding her in place. Clutching the quiver against her chest protectively, she let him turn her around. Her eyes met the middle of his chest, and she stared at the intricate gold designs woven into his vest. "Look at me."

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing this wasn't happening. It was just like all the times she had watched him with Ashe. He was standing close…too close, the way he stood with the Princess. But this time it was different. The hand that grasped her chin then was the same hand that touched Ashe's, but there was no affection in this gesture.

He forced her chin up, and she met his eyes. "How long?" She couldn't say anything. There wasn't anger in his eyes, just frustration. But even still, she had intruded on his privacy. "How long, Pen?" he repeated insistently.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and felt the tears fall down her cheeks. "Since the Uplands…" He released her then, and he walked down another flight of stairs, picking up her arrows as he went. She wiped the salty tears from her face. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."

He said nothing. Wouldn't he just yell at her? Saying nothing was probably worse. He climbed the stairs again and shoved the arrows forcefully into the quiver she held, the motion nearly unsteadying her. "Balthier, please. I'm sorry…" He found another arrow at her feet and picked it up.

The sky pirate tapped the arrowhead lightly against his palm and stared at her coldly. "And you've stopped your snooping now, have you?"

She nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course. But I was just worried…I didn't want…" He tapped the arrowhead harder, the sound of it smacking his skin almost painful to her ears. "I didn't want anyone else to catch you. If Basch found out, he'd…"

He stuffed the arrow in the quiver. "That's enough." Balthier turned to head back up the stairs.

"Wait! Please…you won't tell Ashe, will you?" He stopped at the mention of the Princess' name, his shoulders seeming to slump. He really did care for her, she thought sadly. "Please?"

"Let's go."

She put the quiver on her back once more and hurried back up the steps, her entire body shaking.

\--

"…my usual tricks I suppose. Someone down at the Whitecap was muttering about some cache in Bervenia."

"And you'll just…you'll just go then?"

"Ashe…"

Penelo wanted to plug her ears. They were just outside her door. Tomorrow…the Bahamut and Vayne awaited them. Couldn't they go anywhere else? She held her pillow over her head, hoping to muffle the conversation in the hallway.

"But you've done so much to help me. How can you just…"

"You knew exactly what you were getting when you asked me to steal you that night. You know that I'm…"

"You're a liar. Has this meant nothing?" She remembered the look in Balthier's eyes just the other day. This was not meant for her ears.

"This has to stop, Ashe. I'm sorry…"

Penelo kicked off the blankets and opened the glass doors onto one of the manse's balconies, slamming it behind her. She stared out into the night sky. She heard nothing but the chirping of crickets and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

The next afternoon, she watched the woman who would be her Queen shed tears of joy at their victory. Penelo then watched the Bahamut crash into the Westersand. Before tears of a different sort could fall, she watched as Ashe fled the cockpit of the Strahl.

They docked shortly thereafter with the Marquis' ship, most of them stunned into silence. Ashe had told Basch to give her a few moments to compose herself. She gathered all the courage she had and knocked on the door of the cabin the Princess had sequestered herself inside. "I'll just be a few minutes more, please just leave me."

She exhaled slowly and pushed the door open. Penelo was surprised to find the Princess curled up on a bunk, her fingers clutching a white shirt. She hadn't even realized it…this was Balthier's cabin. Ashe looked up. "Please Penelo, I'll be right there…"

Instead, she shut the door behind her. "I know, Ashe. About you and…"

"You don't know anything," the Princess muttered, tossing the shirt aside and standing abruptly. "I need to see the Marquis immediately."

Ashe tried to push past her, but she blocked the door. "He loves you."

The Princess stared at her coldly. "Step aside. Now."

"He wasn't telling the truth in Balfonheim. He really does care…"

Ashe's eyes widened at the mention of the night before, but she quickly scowled again. "It doesn't matter what he said, Penelo." The Princess opened the cabin door and looked back at her. "He's dead."

With that, she watched Ashe slam the door and listened to her footsteps as she hurried down the hallway.

 _She picked up another stick and added it to her growing pile. She climbed the stone steps. This wasn't the right place._

 _"I cannot have you questioning my every move!"_

 _She knelt down again, and there was grass growing between the stone steps. When she looked up, she saw the old ruins again. A flash of jewelry disappearing within._

 _"I think it's my turn to play the gentleman, Vaan."_

 _The stick became an arrow as she picked it up. She examined it closely, tapping it lightly against her palm. She stood up and climbed the stairs again._

 _"Come here, you've missed one of the clasps."_

 _The steps became soft and damp. She had to hide…_

 _"Let's go."_

"Penelo! Come on, you sleep like the dead!"

Vaan shook her shoulders once more. "Alright! Fine! I'm awake!" Her eyes adjusted to the light. Morning already? She had to work in the shop that afternoon…

"You're never going to believe this," her friend muttered excitedly. "But the Strahl is gone!"

But they'd just tuned her up! "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

Vaan smiled. "Come on, you have to come and see for yourself."


End file.
